Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a sprayable composition for deterring intruders. More specifically, the present invention relates to a sprayable composition that irritates the skin and eyes of a target human subject such as an intruder. The present invention also relates to a system for spraying the sprayable composition inside a building such as a school, workplace, or a home. The sprayable composition beneficially irritates the skin and eyes of a target human subject, such as a home intruder, an active shooter in a public or work place, or a school shooter, for a short time to immobilize the target subject without causing long-term damage to other humans that may inadvertently be sprayed by the composition.
Background Information
Conventional self-defense materials include pepper spray, chemical mace and tear gas. Tear gas is a chemical weapon that causes severe skin, eye and respiratory irritation, as well as vomiting and potential blindness. Tear gas typically contains phenacyl chloride (CN) gas, 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (CS) gas, and/or capsicin, the active ingredient in pepper spray. Tear gas is conventionally delivered by being shot from “grenades” which explode to release the compound.
Chemical mace is an irritant and, like tear gas, typically contains CN and/or CS gas. However, unlike tear gas, chemical mace is a sprayable compound in which the CN and/or CS gas is conventionally dissolved in hydrocarbon solvents and delivered via an aerosol spray can. Chemical mace was sometimes found to be ineffective in incapacitating individuals under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Pepper spray is also conventionally delivered via an aerosol spray can. The active ingredient in pepper spray is not CN or CS gas but rather oleoresin capsicum (OC) gas, which is derived from capsicin. Pepper spray immediately incapacitates an individual by causing inflammation in the skin and eyes, temporary blindness, nausea, pain, difficulty in breathing and an intense burning sensation. The effects of pepper spray last for approximately 20 minutes to an hour, and pepper spray is very difficult to wash off.
Gun violence has become a pervasive problem in the United States. In particular, there have been several recent incidents of active shooters within buildings such as malls or schools. Although many buildings have systems to suppress fires until the fire department arrives, none have a system inside the building to suppress active shooters who breech protected or unprotected entrances or who become active when inside of buildings. The unprotected interior of buildings gives an active shooter or any violent perpetrator unfettered access to victims, creating a veritable “reign of terror” until the perpetrator is confronted by someone who risks their life or by law enforcement, or the perpetrator chooses to desist. The present invention relates to a sprayable material, and a system for using such sprayable material, that can be used to deter, distract, and delay human threats inside of a building, public or private, commercial or home, until law enforcement arrives without causing harm to the victims inside the building or lasting harmful effects to the human threats.